Montgomery County to move forward with $4 million expansion of MCAD facility

Catherine Dominguez

Published 11:40 pm, Tuesday, July 1, 2014

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The Montgomery County Commissioners Court approved a $4 million expansion of the Montgomery Central Appraisal District building during its regular meeting Monday.

The Montgomery County Commissioners Court approved a $4 million expansion of the Montgomery Central Appraisal District building during its regular meeting Monday.

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Montgomery County Appraisal District got the greenlight to move forward with a $4 million expansion of the existing building.

Montgomery County Appraisal District got the greenlight to move forward with a $4 million expansion of the existing building.

Montgomery County to move forward with $4 million expansion of MCAD facility

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After almost 30 years in the same location, officials with the Montgomery Central Appraisal District got the green light to move forward with a $4 million expansion of the existing building to better serve the residents.

According to Chief Appraiser Mark Castleshouldt, the appraisal staff moved into the building located at 109 Gladstell in 1986. At that time, the department had only 40 workers; however, he added, now the office has a payroll of 78 employees.

Castleshouldt said he would add more personnel in the future as well.

“The state requires us to do more and different type work than in the past that we wouldn’t have had to perform,” he said. “The county is growing.”

Currently, the appraisal office has 285,000 accounts, 165,000 of those are single-family residences. Castleshouldt said there just isn’t enough room for the public to sit in the current facility.

“We need more room for people coming in,” he said.

Castleshouldt said, by law, his department is required to get approval from at least 75 percent of the taxing entities in the county as well as present options to handle the growth to those entities.

He presented the court with the option to add on to the existing facilities for about $4 million, build a new 35,000-square-foot facility for around $8 million or lease a facility which could cost up to $10 million.

“I think anybody who has been in your office would not question the fact that you need more room,” said Precinct 1 Commissioner Mike Meador. “I don’t know how you have been able to conduct your business with the space you have available right now.”

Meador said he supported the expansion of the current facilities and added it would carry the county through the next 10 years.

“I certainly approve of the plan you have,” he told Castleshouldt.

County Judge Alan B. Sadler echoed Meador and said it was an “excellent” plan to expand the current location.